Author's Note: The 50th chapter! I never thought I'd get here:) Thankfully, I was able to get past the heartache Sunday's episode caused me in order to finish this new chapter. I hope y'all can enjoy it despite any residual trauma you may feel as well. (Just to avoid any confusion for non-book readers, let me add that my description of the moon door in this story is the same as it appears in the books, not the show. In the books it is literally a door in the wall, not a gaping hole in the floor like it was portrayed on screen.)
Jaime was going to kill her. Well, he will if this bastard doesn't manage the feat first. The thought flitted through Amarah's conscious as the cold wind whipped against her face through the moon door which Petyr Baelish had so graciously opened for her hasty, yet rather deadly, exit. Seeing the murderous fire in his eyes, she admitted to herself that perhaps this precarious position which she now found herself in was due mostly to her own rash stupidity. For a woman that prided herself on having a sharp wit and intelligence to match it, the silent confession didn't come easily.
It had seemed like a good idea at the start, following Jaime and his men to the Eyrie. Yesterday eve she and her companions had traveled as far as they could until the sun slipped above the horizon. Amarah suspected Jaime would stay put during the day so as to avoid detection from the knights of the Vale, and she had made a similar decision. They hadn't come upon the other half of their party, but it didn't surprise Amarah as Jaime had a considerable head start over them already. In any case, it wasn't as though she wanted to overtake him on the path. She didn't particularly fancy the notion of him having her bound hand and foot and forcibly carried back to camp, so she was perfectly content to follow a fair distance behind as they traveled the mountain road.
They had stayed put, gaining much needed rest while the mountains basked in the daylight from a hazy sun overhead, before resuming their journey that night. It had been a risky and dangerous path to undertake, but Clegane had been able to track Jaime's party far enough to get them within sight of the keep some hours after the glowing sun had sunk beneath the snowy peaks surrounding them. Brienne had informed Amarah during their trek of Jaime's plan to attack the keep, a plan which entailed Pia putting the soldiers, and whatever servants she could, under a stupor from which they would not easily awake while Peck lowered the drawbridge for Jaime and his men to cross. As they came closer to the keep, the sight of the lowered drawbridge and sounds of battle from within seemed to indicate that the Lion of Lannister's plan had proved somewhat of a success.
"My lady, you should wait here with the boy until the fortress has been secured," Brienne informed her just at the noise of clanging steel and shouts of alarm met their ears.
It was on the tip of Amarah's tongue to refute the suggestion, but a second thought caused her to hold back the rebellious response. "Of course, you are right," she agreed almost too quickly for Clegane's liking.
"Perhaps your body guard should stay as well to ensure your safety," he told her with a narrowed gaze that indicated his disbelief in her ability to obey orders.
He was wise to doubt the sincerity behind her words, but Amarah was not ready to grant him the satisfaction of being right. "There's no need for that," she rushed to assure her towering knight. "From the look of things, Ser Jaime will need all the help he can get. It would be better for all concerned if you both joined in the effort to take the keep. I shall be quite safe enough until you return."
Brienne still looked hesitant to accept the suggestion. "I don't think– "
Amarah was quick to cut off the argument before it began. "Unless I fall prey to an angry mountain goat in your absence, I do believe I shall be quite whole and healthy when you return."
"And you'll naturally stay here without trying to follow."
Amarah chose to ignore the sarcastic undertone of Clegane's comment and simply returned his stare with a gratingly, sweet smile. Just when she felt her cheeks would split from the effort, Brienne seemed to relent.
"You must stay away from the fighting, my lady," she ordered with a hard look that would brook no stubbornness on Amarah's part. "Lannister would never forgive me, as I could never forgive myself, if you were to come to any harm."
The lady knight's confession caused Amarah equal parts guilt and comfort, but she deftly hid both reactions from view and bestowed Brienne with a curt nod of agreement. "Of course, I shall stay away from the fighting at all costs."
"Do you have the dagger?" Brienne wanted the reassurance before she left Amarah to fend for herself.
In reply, Amarah lifted her skirts to just above the strap resting between her knee and ankle. The glint of her little dagger twinkled briefly in the moonlight before she let the material fall back into place. "If we don't return by sunrise, my lady, don't try to look for us. Get back down the mountains as quickly as you can."
"Of course."
Brienne gave her one last hard look that wordlessly demanded her cooperation before turning on her heel and clomping up the slope to join in the struggle to take the fortress. Just as Clegane began to trail behind the blonde knight, he swung back to assess Amarah with a penetrating look.
"If you were to disobey orders like the stubborn, little female you are, you'd find it best to follow one of the outer stairways of the keep to avoid any fighting in the lower levels. They'll lead you to the great hall and towers that house the lords and ladies of the castle. Though be well warned, if you don't manage to avoid the knights of the Vale as well as you might hope, that dagger won't do shit to keep you safe. Best keep that in mind, my lady."
With those words of dismal comfort, he trudged up the rocky hills after Brienne until both were disappeared from sight. Amarah considered his words of warning for the briefest of moments (she could at least do him courtesy of paying that little consideration) before hiking up her skirts to trail after them.
"Wait!" Gendry called from behind her almost as soon as she took the first step. He fastened his blacksmith's grip on her bent elbow before forcing her back to peer at him through the night shadows. "Did you hear nothing they just said? You'll get yourself killed if one of those soldiers happens to find you in there. What good can you do this cousin of yours if you happen to be dead?"
"I don't think you understand," Amarah hissed back before wrenching her arm free. "My cousin is in there somewhere and I must find her. I'm not taking the chance of leaving the task to someone else. I abandoned her once for fear of saving my own skin, and I don't mean to do it again. Besides, I said I would stay away from the fighting, and I'll be doing just that if I follow Clegane's advice."
The scowl of disapproval firming Gendry's mouth into a hard line relaxed somewhat at hearing her reasons for ignoring good sense. "It's not cowardice to trust others to bring her back without putting yourself at risk."
"But if something goes awry when I could have somehow prevented it I could never forgive myself," Amarah argued back, grasping his chilled hands in an urgent attempt to make him understand.
It wasn't rational, disobeying the orders of those closest to her to stay out of danger, but she couldn't simply stand there like a ninny while the man she loved fought to save a cousin of her own blood. She had to do something to help.
"You can stand here and keep the goats company or you can help me," Amarah issued him the ultimatum, and stepped away to continue her path towards the keep. "What will it be?"
Gendry rolled his eyes at her illogical choice to place herself in unnecessary danger but ultimately gave in with a disgusted sigh. "You do know that if I'm fortunate enough avoid a sword through my belly, Lannister will take care of that oversight when he finds out I helped you."
"Don't be ridiculous," Amarah ignored his concerns. "If he decides to bodily harm to anyone it will most likely be me."
Gendry rewarded that comment with a look of blatant skepticism but decided to remain silent as they approached the keep that still rang with the echoes of violence and death. Amarah's heart began to beat uncomfortably fast in her chest, transferring a violent tremble to her hands that she swiftly hid beneath the folds of her cloak to present the image of a calm, composed lady who knew exactly what she was about. In truth, Amarah had absolutely notion of what she was doing, but she didn't want Gendry be aware of that fact.
Once they reached the top of the hill, they were faced with the first task of crossing the large stone bridge that led from the hilltop into the large fortress. Luckily, Jaime's men had made far enough progress into the keep that the bridge and lowered drawbridge were both blessedly empty. Without giving herself the chance to think about it, Amarah grabbed Gendry's hand and crossed swiftly and silently until they were both standing before the pale, stone walls. Ignoring the gate leading to the open courtyard, Amarah chose instead to follow the trail around the keep until they came upon the carved stairway that Clegane had mentioned.
The stairs were narrow and shallow, certainly not wide enough to accommodate a marauding band of intruders who wished to infiltrate the interior of the well-fortified structure, but it would be easy enough for she and Gendry to climb if they were cautious about it.
"Up we go then," she told him with a manufactured look of optimism. Amarah bent her body forward so as to avoid tipping over the side and plummeting to her death below and began the slow steady climb up the wall. She could hear Gendry picking his way up the rocks behind her, but both were absolutely silent as they put their full concentration into reaching the top level in one piece.
In due time, they finally reached a circular plateau of sorts that circled the keep about midway up. The ledge was narrow much like the steps they had climbed to reach it. Amarah looked back to ensure Gendry had climbed to safety as well before hugging her body to the rough, hewn stone and circling her way around to a large window several paces away from where they stood. The window seemed close enough to the ground for them both to climb through without much trouble, and Amarah was relieved to find the assessment an accurate one when she arrived at the spot.
She hiked up her skirts and prepared to climb through before Gendry's voice stopped her momentarily. "Gods! Don't just climb through," he whispered loud enough for her to hear. "First look to make sure no one's lurking about in there."
Amarah did as he asked then sent back a nod of affirmation that it was safe before resuming her attempts to climb through. Once she was in, she poked her head out to call Gendry to her, but his progress along the wall was slower than she would have liked. He must have glimpsed her impatience because he waved her on with the one hand not clinging on to the structure for dear life.
"Don't glare at me like that. I'll be with you shortly. Have a look around in there to see where we are exactly, and I'll catch up."
"All right," Amarah agreed, and quickly pulled her head back in. She proceeded to take two steps away from the window but drew to a quick halt to retrieve the little weapon hidden beneath her plenteous skirts. Clegane might think it less than adequate protection, but it was better than nothing.
Tightening her grip around the small handle, Amarah resumed her light-footed tread down the stone passageway. She tried to recall her father's description of the hall from when she was a small girl, and she suddenly wished she had paid closer attention to his recollections of memories from the past. Then, perhaps, she could better discern her present location. Clegane had mentioned the High Hall which, if memory served her correctly, should be somewhere in the main tower of the keep where they were now.
As she continued along, she could feel the faint vibration caused by the shouts and calls of the soldiers who struggled below. An image popped into her head just then of Jaime fighting against his foes with only one hand at his disposal, and she quickly had to shut the disheartening picture from her mind. Jaime could take care of himself, and he certainly wouldn't like the thought of her fretting over him. Right now she needed to reach the cousin she had been sent here to find.
After wandering around in the dark for what seemed much longer than necessary, Amarah found what appeared to be the large receiving hall she had been searching for. She sent a glance over her should and was disgruntled to find Gendry no where in sight. Oh Gods, she fretted silently. I should never have left him. Who knows where he's gone off to now?
Just as she was about to turn back around to recover her lost brother, she caught sight of another shadow moving through the darkness. Giving a smile of relief she prepared to call him to her, but the words died in her throat as the shadowed figure came closer within view.
"Something the matter?" asked the sinister devil with a mocking smile that seemed so at home on his scheming face. "Are you not happy to see me, my lady? It's been much too long, I'm afraid. Since you've been so gracious as to send your Lannister companion to invade my keep, I must return the courtesy by showing you about the fortress you've attempted to steal from me. Let's start in here shall we? There's a particular feature I'd like you to see first."
Amarah didn't bother to return the greeting, but raised her arm to strike out with the dagger pressed to her palm. To her everlasting disappointment, Baelish proved too quick for her, smacking the little weapon away with a quick lash of his wrist. She attempted to run then, but was quickly pulled up short by the touch of a wickedly sharp blade pressed against the vein in her neck.
"Now let's not be rude, Lady Amarah," he pressed the blade further into her neck, pushing her back into the large space of the High Hall. "You must allow me the pleasure of showing you about my keep. Be certain to pay careful attention. After all, it might very well be the last thing you ever see."
"It's not much farther now," Peck informed Jaime as he led him through the dark halls of the Eyrie.
It had been a long, hard struggle following an arduous climb up the unforgiving mountain path, but victory was in sight. As Jaime followed along behind his squire, he quickly swept an arm across his forehead to brush away a slow trickle of sweat that threatened to drip into his eyes. He was tired and filthy, but none of that mattered worth a shit. With his men securing the fortress down below, Peck had managed to find a passage leading away from the din that would bring Jaime to the source of this hunt, Sansa Stark. He could imagine Amarah's rage at learning she had been left behind, but when he returned with her cousin safe and sound, her anger would be swept away by the wave gratefulness at his daring rescue of the girl. At least, he hoped she would react in that way.
Jaime considered the thought with a worried frown, but he was quickly distracted from the notion by the sound of hollering and pounding that grew louder and louder the further they walked along the darkened hall. "What in the seven hells is that racket?"
Peck stopped to listen carefully before turning to Jaime with a stricken look. "It's Pia, my lord!"
Following this discovery, both men directly increased their speed to quicker reach the source of the yelling. Peck was the first to arrive at the barred, wooden door. He hastily lifted the latch and a screaming Pia came tumbling through as one of her flailing fists managed to strike Peck's chin with a solid thunk. Peck gave a howl of pain, and they ended up in a pitiful pile of flailing limbs on the stone floor.
"Where's the Stark girl?" Jaime questioned Pia impatiently, reaching down to retrieve her from the undignified position on top of poor Peck who was still rubbing his bruised chin.
Pia had to take a deep gasp of air to refill her depleted lungs in order to force out a reply. "She must have gone to find Lord Baelish, m'lord. I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen. We have to find her before its too late."
"Where would she have gone to find him?" Jaime tried to maintain a cool and collected state of mind even as the prospect of victory seemed to be gradually slipping from his grasp.
Pia scrunched up her crooked nose in concentration as she tried to recall any information that might help. "His rooms first, I suspect, m'lord, but she won't find him there. It'd be best to look in the High Hall. I heard one of the other servants mentioning a secret passage there that leads out into the mountains. He might try to take her out that way."
"Very good," Jaime rewarded her information with a tight smile before taking off down the passageway in a rush, leaving the other two behind to collect themselves.
Jaime knew enough of the keep to make his way to the High Hall without any assistance, and he moved as quickly as his legs would take him in order to reach his destination before it was too late. As he was running along, he didn't notice until too late the figure meandering through the dark, and both came together with a hard thud that almost managed to knock Jaime on his arse. Quickly regaining his balance, Jaime retrieved his still bloody sword from its scabbard before pulling the other man to his feet and pressing the deadly weapon into his side.
"Wait!" a familiar voice quickly halted his actions.
Jaime hurriedly moved to a nearby window in order to shed a ray of bright moonlight across his unknown companion. Once the boy's Baratheon features were fully exposed in the silver light, Jaime pulled back with a startled jerk. "You!"
"Yes, m'lord," Gendry attempted to meet Jaime's ire with a placating smile.
"You had better have a good explanation for this, boy!" Jaime threatened, placing his sword at the boy's side again in a pronounced threat.
The look on Gendry's voice indicated that the explanation was anything but good. "I didn't have a choice, m'lord. She was determined to come– "
Jaime's blood instantly turned to ice in his veins at those words. He didn't even need to ask the identity of the girl Gendry was referring to. "Where is she?!"
He roared the words so loudly in the boy's face that Gendry merely flinched from the impact without venturing a reply. "Answer me!" Jaime commanded him with a fierce shake of his shoulders.
"I- I don't know for certain!" Gendry hastened to explain. "She went this way when she left me, and I was going to meet up with her along the way."
Jaime quickly shoved the boy away without waiting for any further explanation and took off running at a much quicker pace than before. His temples throbbed painfully and his lungs pumped in gulps of air as he sprinted along the darkened hall to reach the princess before it was too late. The sight that met him once he reached the High Hall caused his heart to seize abruptly in his chest. There stood Amarah at the farthest end of the room, hanging halfway out a door that led to the foot of the mountains, a drop that would certainly lead to her death. Jaime realized with a jolt of dread that he was too far to reach her in time. There was nothing he could do to save her.
"Baelish!" he called out across the wide hall, his authoritative voice reverberating off the stone walls. "If you let her fall, I'll pull your innards out through your throat and feed them back to you."
Baelish looked away momentarily from his prey to grace Jaime with a superior look that made him want to slice the man's head in two. "You've arrived just in time, Kingslayer," Littlefinger returned with a knowing smirk. "You've both done a marvelous job of interfering with my plans, and I can't possibly let you get away with it unscathed. Forcing you to watch her die will be payment enough for your sins, I think."
Jaime's felt his breath leave in a rush as he saw one of Amarah's feet slip off he stone ledge, leaving her dangling out the door with not much else to hold her inside. She turned a tearful gaze to Jaime with a silent apology written there that threatened to squeeze his heart dry. He ignored her look of defeat and attempted to return to bargaining with Littlefinger.
"You know what will happen to you if you do this, Baelish," he threatened the man without allowing for even the smallest waver in his voice.
"Ah, but you forget, Ser Jaime," he returned with that customary self-satisfied smirk. "I know more of this keep then you do. I can escape taking Lady Sansa with me, and we'll recommence with our plans to retake her home in Winterfell."
"You mean your plans to take Winterfell for yourself, you scheming bastard," Jaime spit at him in disgust.
Baelish made no attempt to deny it, instead returning his attention to the girl about to be pushed to her death. "Say goodbye, Kingslayer."
Jaime heard a wail of despair escape his lips as Baelish raised his hand to give that one last push, but the expected blow never came. Jaime looked on in disbelief as Baelish gave a violent jerk as if suffering an attack of some sort before a gurgling sound emitted from his gaping mouth and he slumped to the floor in silence. Once the silent figure had fallen to the floor, Jaime saw the reason for Baelish's stymied attack. Another figure stood beside his fallen corpse there in the darkness, holding a dagger that now shone blood red in the moonlight.
Jaime's attention was abruptly pulled from their unexpected savior when he noticed Amarah who was still flailing about in the vicious wind that threatened to finish the job Baelish started. He wasted no time in going to her and was soon wrapping his strong arms around her waist as he pulled her once again to safety. Once the door was firmly shut, only then did Jaime allow himself the chance to breathe easy. He pulled her back far enough to examine the familiar face and ensure that she truly was unharmed. Amarah returned the gesture, running her hands over the lines of his face, assuring herself in turn that he really was there. Jaime pulled her to him then in a fierce embrace. Soon the panic would fade, leaving white-hot anger in its place in response to her foolishness, but for now he was content to simply hold her in his arms again.
He was afforded a few valuable moments with her just before they simultaneously remembered the other figure standing over the dead body of Petyr Baelish a few steps away. Amarah disentangled herself from Jaime's embrace before cautiously approaching her mysterious rescuer. Jaime looked at the girl's face, and was immediately struck by a feeling of recognition. Her hair was several shades darker than he recalled from their last meeting, but the stamp of the Stark features was clearly marked on her face.
Amarah must have recognized it as well, because she held out her hands to gently trace the girl's features, as she had done to Jaime moments before. The girl stood rigidly still for the silent inspection before a betraying quiver disrupted her serene mask.
"Amarah?" She spoke so quietly that Jaime barely caught the sound of the whispered word.
Amarah's lip then began to tremble then as well before a visible rush of tears welled up in her eyes at the girl's softly worded question. "Yes," she assured her quickly before reaching to pull her into a tight embrace. "I'm here."
She continued to gently repeat those two words as if to assure them both that this was real. They really were together again. Sansa Stark began to cry in earnest then, desperately clinging to the cousin who had gone through so much to find her. Amarah made no attempt to hide her tears either as they both sobbed long and loudly, but Jaime knew he needn't be alarmed by the emotional display. The two women didn't cry tears of pain. These weren't the cries of despair that had he had heard fall from Amarah's lips that night in the woods where she learned of her loved ones' deaths. As both females kneeled to the ground, still embracing each other and crying noisily, Jaime understood that these tears were of a different kind. They were simply tears of joy.
So that was a bit of a long update, but writing the emotional family reunion provided some much needed therapy for me:) I haven't done this in a while so I'll give it another go. If I can get at least 10 reviews or more for this 50th chapter, I'll have the next one up tomorrow morning, and it will include more of the cousins' reunion plus the confrontation that inevitably needs to follow Amarah's rash decision. (Sidenote: I may throw in a little bit o' lovin' too. We'll see:) Thanks a bunch for reading!